rdthomps@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Robert D. Thompson) (05/21/91)
Does anyone have any news, comments, suggestions, rumors, or otherwise about the development/availability of 32-Bit Windows ? Thanks |(8> --- Robert
richi@hpopd.pwd.hp.com (Richard Jennings) (05/21/91)
MS say that win32 is now being called Windows 4.0. SDKs will ship ``before the end of the year''.
It will extend the existing set of Windows API calls with new 32-bit
kernel, graphics, and network API calls. Windows-32 will allow each
application to have a large flat address space (up to 2 GigaBytes per
application) which is protected from corruption by other applications.
It will also provide multiple threads and preemptive multitasking. The
Windows 3 API will be extended rather than replaced, and minimal changes
to existing applications will be required. Windows 3 applications will
run unmodified under Windows-32, but all such applications will run in
the same address space and will not be protected from one another. They
will be protected from Windows-32 applications, and vice-versa. The
Windows-32 graphics extensions will include: paths, Bezier curves,
transforms, correlations, device-independent colour, and a \mbox{``mass
BitBlt''} for updating portions of screen quickly. The network
extensions will include support for IPC (Inter-Process Communication)
with peer-to-peer named pipes, and mailslots. These features are
currently part of LAN Manager. International support will be improved
by the addition of a single, large character set called Unicode.
As far as the problems which will need to be overcome in moving from
Windows-16 to Windows-32 go, MS claim that no restructuring of source
code would be required, and that minimal source code changes will be
required. Problems to be overcome fall into three main categories:
differences in sizes of basic types (e.g.\ int, HANDLE), differences in
memory model (segmented vs.\ flat), and differences between 386/486 and
MIPS architectures (structure alignment, etc.).
Thanks to Patrick Hyland who took the trouble to type this stuff in,
from the Developers' Conference.
Regards,
richi.
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Richard Jennings, Software Development Engineer
Pinewood Information Systems Division, the home of HP's Advanced
----------------------------------------- Image Management System (HP AIMS),
AdvanceLink, OpenMail and Multi-media communications
Hewlett-Packard --------------------------------------
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>> Of course, I don't speak for Hewlett-Packard <<alistair@microsoft.UUCP (Alistair BANKS) (05/29/91)
In article <6497@vela.acs.oakland.edu> rdthomps@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Robert D. Thompson) writes: > > Does anyone have any news, comments, suggestions, rumors, or > otherwise about the development/availability of 32-Bit > Windows ? > Future Windows/Enhanced mode will be gaining a full 32-bit API. That API will also be seen on a modern message-based micro kernel we refer to as 'NT', for 'New Technology'. Think of this as a new 'mode' for Windows, 'NT-mode'. The NT kernel is best described as a kernel upon which operating system subsytems are written. Over time we'll be delivering multiple API sets on top of NT, including Dos (Int21), Windows (16 bit & 32 bit), OS/2 & POSIX. The NT kernel provides transparent true symetrical multiprocessing to applications. It is designed to meet US Govt. B2 security requirements, and with the 32-bit Windows subsystem will meet C2 requirements. It is portable to non x86 processors and will be seen on the ARC/MIPS platforms first. The 32-bit Windows API (WIN32) adds full operating system features to Windows. It is identical on Dos/Enhanced Windows, and systems that use the NT kernel. With the Win32 API, new features are added such as pre-emptive multi-tasked processes using seperate address spaces, pre-emptive threads, semaphores & shared memory, named pipes and mailslots, memory mapped file I/O and improved GDI functions including beziers, paths, transforms, correllation (GDI primitive selection) & a device independant color model. Thus Win32 will deliver and enhanced client environment, and a portable, scaleable server environment. Win32 #1 design goal is to be the simplest possible 32-bit migration for Win16 apps. We'll have added new OS features in a way that won't break Win16 apps, and indeed we'll continue to run Win16 apps on systems that include the Win32 API. You'll be able to have 16-bit and 32-bit applications compiled from the same source code - Win32 is a true superset of Win16. Our strategy is to provide continuity for applications developers. We don't think Win32 will make the '286 go away - so Win16 apps will continue to be supported and Win16 systems will exist for the '286 market. We dont think that all systems will have multiple processor overnight, nor will they require Govt. level security, so there'll be Dos & NT versions of Win32. This should provide Windows platforms from the 286 up to multi-processor RISC machines. Later this year ('91) 32-bit Windows pre-release systems and toolkits will be made available, with first product shipment next year ('92). Alistair Banks Systems Division, Microsoft.
artk@Congruent.COM (Arthur Kreitman) (05/30/91)
In article <72604@microsoft.UUCP>, alistair@microsoft.UUCP (Alistair BANKS) writes: |> with the 32-bit Windows subsystem will meet C2 requirements. It is portable |> to non x86 processors and will be seen on the ARC/MIPS platforms first. When will SPARC architectures be supported??